Chuan Cuisine

Szechuan cuisine is one of the most spiciest cuisine in all the eight dishes. it was born in southwestern china,originating from Sichuan province. The components of Szechuan cuisine consist of pickling,salting and drying and is generally spicy owing to heavy application chili oil. The most common used in Sichuan food is Sichuan pepper, in other word, it called 'Flower Pepper'. Common preparation techniques in Szechuan cuisine include stir frying, steaming and braising.
   The picture on above is the Sichuan hotpot. the small part of the hotpot is the normal state, and the other part is the spicy part. There are some common ingredients in the hotpot. For example,like water,salt,soup base, meats and vegetables.

Famous Dishes

Mapo tofu

Style: Sichuan(Szechuan) Cuisine 
Characteristics: it is a dish mixed with yellowish-white tofu and reddish brown chili sauce. People often use seven words to describe this dish which are numbing, spicy, hot, fresh, tender, delicious and crispy. 

The most well-known dish among the spicy and hot dishes of Szechuan Cuisine , ma po tofu is made of soft tofu, ground beef, chopped chili, prickly ash powder and broad bean paste. It is rich in vegetable protein, calcium, phosphorous, iron, vitamins and carbohydrates, featuring an outstanding effect in strengthening the middle burner and replenishing qi (essential energy), removing the poisonous quality of any substance, nourishing the marrow as well as replenishing the essence.

Ingredients: 
beef, 100 g soft tofu (bean curd cake), 250g

Preparation: Clean the beef and the bean curd with water. Then cut the beef into mince and cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and put them onto a separate plate.

Step 1: Fill half wok water, turn on the heat and pour in the tofu cubes when the water is boiling. Boil the bean curd for 1 minute and then pick them out of the wok, and remove excess water through a colander.

Step 2: Pour away the water in the wok, and place the wok over high heat until hot. Add some cooking oil, swirling to coat sides. Add in the chopped ginger to be stir-fried by high heat for about 10 seconds, add in the broad bean paste and stir-fry them together until smelling fragrant, about 20 seconds.

seasonings:

salt 
white sugar 
broad bean paste
cooking wine 
starch (corn or potato starch)
soy sauce 
prickly ash seeds powder 
chopped green onion 
chopped garlic 
Note: the amount of the seasonings listed above can be appropriately measured according to one's personal taste. Meanwhile, please get ready the wet starch for the thickening later.

Step 1: Fill half wok water, turn on the heat and pour in the tofu cubes when the water is boiling. Boil the bean curd for 1 minute and then pick them out of the wok, and remove excess water through a colander.

Step 2: Pour away the water in the wok, and place the wok over high heat until hot. Add some cooking oil, swirling to coat sides. Add in the chopped ginger to be stir-fried by high heat for about 10 seconds, add in the broad bean paste and stir-fry them together until smelling fragrant, about 20 seconds.

Step 3: Pour in the ground beef and stir-fried it for about 1 minute on high heat, add in the cooing wine and the soy sauce and stir-fry them together for a furthur 1 minute until the ground beef is 90% percent cooked.

Step 4: Pour in the tofu cubes, add in the salt and white sugar and stir-fried them for about 2 minutes on high heat until all are covered with the seasoning sauce.

Step 5: Add in the previously prepared wet starch flour and stir well for 20 seconds until you feel it is a little bit sticky. This process is mainly to thicken the flavored sauce to stay with the bean curd and the beef.

Step 6: Now, turn off the heat, add in the chopped green onion and the prickly ash powder. Stir them with cooking ladle until they are mixed with the other ingredients in the wok. Then ladle it out of the wok and put it into a fine porcelain plate.

It is done and indeed is an irresistible temptation.